Water is increasingly behaving in ways that defy our plans. How should cities prepare when the risks keep changing?

Roni Deitz (Arcadis) joins Richard K. Green (USC Lusk Center for Real Estate) to explore how water is reshaping real estate, infrastructure, and long-term investment. Starting with recent storms like Hurricane Helene and their devastating impacts, the conversation expands to examine a new reality: the baseline assumptions guiding water and development may no longer hold.

Highlights include:

• Why mapped flood risk often misses the reality of risk over time
• The limits of engineering, and why aligned land use decisions are necessary for resilience
• What "one water" thinking looks like in practice, from stormwater to wastewater
• How cities like New York are aligning policy, finance, and infrastructure in flood-prone areas
• How integrating policy and practice can make cities more stable and investible

More: https://lusk.usc.edu/perspectives

Making more affordable housing is challenging, but it's far from impossible.

Kyle Ransford (Cardinal Investments) joins Richard K. Green (USC Lusk Center for Real Estate) to offer a practical look at operating in today's multifamily market. The conversation covers Ransford's path from early-90s dealmaking to building a portfolio focused on workforce and affordable housing across Southern California.

Ransford explains how Section 8 functions in practice, from lease-up timelines to tenant stability. He also argues that strong management, often more than physical upgrades, drives value in a given property, especially in smaller buildings. The episode also explores rising operating costs, the realities of owning in Los Angeles, and why expanding condo development and homeownership could help ease supply constraints.

Highlights include:

• A realistic view of Section 8 housing's challenges and opportunities
• The top upgrades tenants feel first, from air conditioning to in-unit laundry
• Why property management drives value in the majority of acquisitions
• The growing gap between operating costs and achievable rents
• How condo development and liability reform could unlock more housing supply

More: https://lusk.usc.edu/perspectives

What does it actually take to rebuild after a disaster—and who gets to build back?

Longtime Altadena resident and development professional Joel Bryant (Bronzeville, Inc.) joins Richard K. Green (USC Lusk Center for Real Estate) to cover the real-world mechanics of post-wildfire rebuilding. Drawing on his decades of experience in multifamily projects, Bryant explains how homeowners are navigating surveys, insurance constraints, permitting, and construction costs while detailing the small but meaningful milestones that signal progress.

The conversation transitions from the practical to the systemic: how the permitting process has evolved since the fires, what it takes to secure approvals quickly, and why architects play a critical role in keeping projects on track. As rebuilding efforts gather momentum, a central question remains: rebuilding for whom?

Highlights include:

• The step-by-step process of rebuilding a home after wildfire loss
• How projected timelines are playing out in Altadena
• Why permitting speed depends as much on people as on portals
• How insurance limits shape design and feasibility
• ADUs, density, and the future of Altadena's commercial corridors
• Preserving community identity while rebuilding at scale

More: https://lusk.usc.edu/perspectives